Reflection
by Kelby
Summary: Post RENT - Roger runs into someone while doing a little reflecting on his life. Completed!
1. Default Chapter

**Reflection**

By Kelby

"So if you aren't working tonight, what the hell are you doing here?" Eddie asked from behind the bar as he slid the beer over in front of Roger.

"I don't know." He shrugged, reaching for his beer. "Reflecting on my status of pathetic loser."

"I see." Eddie said as he wiped down the counter.

"Mark ditched me for the night to go help some girl he met at that workshop film frogs at some pond."

"Oh yeah, that's definitely not pathetic loser material there." Eddie teased.

"Yeah well, he may eventually get laid out of the deal who knows. But yeah, Collins went away for the weekend with that guy he started seeing awhile ago. Mark ditched me for frogs. I got no band. I work here. And my loving girlfriend dumped me to go back to that bastard. At the moment I just wanna sit here, get drunk and dwell on my miserable state of being."

"And I'm the lucky one to be graced by your presence during this occasion because…."

"Employee discount on beers." Roger grinned.

"I didn't think it was my charm, wit or winning personality." He laughed as he walked down the bar to help some actual paying customers.

Roger sat at the bar. He missed Mimi. Not enough to ever take her back. Not this time. Not after what she had done to him. Going back to Benny like she did and all. Even though he was angry, he still missed her. Thinking through all this he didn't even hear Eddie start to talk to him again. "Huh?"

"I said there's that asshole again. You seen him in action yet?"

"Who?" Roger turned on his stool as Eddie pointed out a large guy with his back to them.

"I don't know. Some asshole. He started coming in a few weeks ago. Once or twice a week. Just always happens to be on my shift I guess. Anyway, he's a real jerk. Calls himself the 'Toddster' or something. That right there should have been clue enough. Anyway he gets a little plastered and then thinks he's all that. Starts harassing all the girls in the place."

"Great. Just what we need around here. Another reason for people to want to leave." Roger laughed as he watched the guy try and put his arm around one of the two girls.

"Yeah, he keeps it up we may have to ban him. He's just a real jerk."

"Well that's always…." He broke off as he watched the guy. When he moved he could see the face of the girl he was making moves on. She obviously wanted nothing to do with him.

"What's the matter?"

"I know her. That girl. The one asshole is bothering." He got up off the barstool and made his way over to them.

"Look I said we're not interested. Thanks but no thanks."

"Come on baby let me buy you two fine things a couple of drinks." He told the girls, leaning in close.

"Look, I've had a crappy bunch of days. That last thing I need is to deal with a jerk like you. Why don't you just leave us alone?"

"Well honey, if you've had a bad day, then you need the Toddster to help cheer you up." He told her as he reached his arm around her waist and pulled her in close to him.

"Hey! Let go of me!" She yelled.

"Hey! Dumbass! She said to let her go!" Roger yelled at him, pulling him off and throwing him towards the wall.

"Get the hell out of here buddy, this ain't your problem. I'm just helping the ladies have a good time."

"No, your being a drunken ass. Get the hell out, before you regret it." Roger told him as he crossed his arms over chest, letting the guy size him up.

"Oh, what are you gonna do about it?" The Toddster asked in a mocking tone.

Roger let out a little laugh. Well this was certainly a change of pace from reflecting on his state of pathticness. This could almost be fun. And for a change, since he worked here, he couldn't even get into any real trouble. "I'm gonna throw you out on your ass. And don't come back. Ever."

"Oh yeah?" Todd made a move for Roger, who easily side stepped it then grabbed him and threw him against the wall, pinning his arm against his back.

"Yeah. You got anything else to say?" Roger asked, pulling his arm up a little.

"You can't kick me out, you don't work here!" Todd yelled at him.

"Actually yes I do. And I can kick you out, so I am. Don't come back. We going to have any more problems out of you?" Roger asked as he pushed the guy's arm up a little higher while and he made a pained noise. "Yeah I didn't think so. Now get your stuff and get your ass out of here. We find you in here again, you'll have real trouble. Right Eddie?"

By then Eddie had come over carrying a wooden baseball bat. He got a little grin. "That's right Rog. Real Trouble." He said as he turned the bat so Todd could see the words "REAL TROUBLE" written across it in black marker.

"Now get out!" Roger let go of his arm and gave him a push. He could tell the guy was pissed, but he wouldn't do anything. He just shot Roger an evil look and stormed out of the bar.

"Okay, shows over everybody back to drinking. And be sure to tip your bartenders well!" Eddie yelled to the crowd that had formed as he walked back over behind the bar.

Once everyone had stepped away some Roger finally spoke. "Are you okay?"

"Um, yes. Yes I'm fine. He was just an ass."

"Yeah, apparently he started pulling that routine a few weeks ago." Trying to look everywhere but at her.

"Oh. Well thanks. Sorry for trouble. And well, you know." She stood up quickly and started to loose her balance.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked, reaching for her arm to brace her.

"Yes, I guess I just had too much to drink. I'm sorry. Really. For everything. I just, i just never, I never expected to see you. Especially here. Especially now and all." She said shaking her head as if to clear it some. "We just came out for a couple of drinks. You know take my mind off it and all. We should go. I'm sorry Roger. We should go Crissy. Let's just go." She said, looking at her friend.

"We can't go now. Sharon and Carolyn are still supposed to meet us here." Crissy told her, obviously not wanting to leave so early.

"Oh. Um, okay." She sat back down on the stool, looking at the floor.

Roger could feel the tension in the air. He wasn't sure what to do, and before he even knew it, the words were just flying out of his mouth. "Why don't you let me take you home?"

"Oh no I couldn't do that. You're working and all." She shook her head back and forth.

"Actually I'm not. I just had nothing else to do tonight. Basically I was sitting here being miserable and feeling sorry for myself." He gave a little grin. "Look you don't want to be here anymore tonight. Truthfully I didn't want to be here at all tonight. But I didn't want to sit home alone in that god forsaken loft by myself tonight either. Let me take you home."

"Well if you're sure. Okay. Thank you." She told him as she stood up and gathered her purse and jacket.

A/N – So who is it? Somebody we know? Somebody we don't? I know, but I'll never tell! At least until next chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Roger pulled into a parking spot and turned off the car. They hadn't really said anything the whole way to her apartment. He couldn't help thinking he was actually really surprised he remembered how to get there after all this time. They climbed out of the car and he walked around to where she now stood on the sidewalk. "Well, here you go." He told her, handing her the keys.

"Thanks. Really. You really shouldn't have gone to so much trouble." She apologized again.

"Don't worry about it. I didn't have anything to do anyway. Other than sit at the bar and get drunk." He gave a little laugh.

She gave a small, almost uncomfortable laugh back at she looked at him. "Well thank you anyway."

"No problem. I'll see you around." He gave a little wave and started to walk off toward the subway.

"Okay. Bye. Thanks again." She took two steps toward the door. "Roger?" She called to him, making him stop and look back. "Look, I've already ruined your night, which truthfully, sounded as bad as mine. You didn't want to hang at the loft, and I didn't want to sit here by myself. Do you want to come up? Have a drink? Or some food? Maybe, maybe just talk?"

As odd as it seemed, he realized it would be really nice to talk through all the crap. With someone other than Mark and Collins for a change. And she would understand where he was coming from. "Yeah. That'd be nice." He told her as he walked back over and they started into the building.

"So how are you doing? You eating veggies and taking vitamins and all that?" She asked as she set two glasses down on the coffee table with the bottles of rum and coke.

"You do remember I live with Mark right?" He grinned as he opened the brand new bottle of run. "Granted we're a little lacking on vegetables with the exception of onion rings, potato chips and french fries. But thanks to Mom, I mean Mark, I never miss a doctor's appointment, a pill or a lecture about going out in the rain."

"In other words, Mark hasn't changed a bit?" She grinned.

"Nope. Not in the least. But I can't complain about that. He's the best friend anyone could ever ask for. I'd be lost without him." He told her, pouring drinks into the glasses.

"That's good. How's Collins?" She asked, taking the glass from him and sipping it.

"He's doing good. He really likes this new teaching position he's got. And this guy he's seeing is pretty cool too. They went to something up in Boston for the week."

"That's good I'm happy for him. He's been through a lot." She shook her head sadly. "So how are you doing?" She pulled her feet up under her on the couch as she spoke, getting comfortable into the corner.

Roger leaned back into the couch as he shrugged. "I'm okay. You know." He shrugged again as he drank back some of his drink. "How you doing?"

"Me? I basically suck." She said nodding her head somewhat aggressively as tears started in the corners of her eyes.

"Oh so we're telling the truth." Roger let out a laugh. "Well then in that case, then yeah, I'm feeling pretty sucky too!"

"I just can't believe this. After all the promises and assurances." She wiped at her eyes while she spoke. "I really didn't think I'd end up in this position."

"Tell me about it." Roger shook his head back and forth in disgust.

"I'm just so, so angry!"

"Yeah, I'd pretty much like to choke the living shit out of her right about now. Him too for sure."

"I just feel so betrayed! So used. So, so, ahhhhhg! I just don't even know." She drank back the rest of her drink and poured herself another one.

"I know. I kinda figured Mimi and me would be together for the rest of whatever we got. I really thought she was happy. She was completely clean. For a good long while now. She'd found a really good job where she got to keep her clothes on. I thought things were going really good for us. This was pretty much out of the blue for me."

Roger's lips met her skin. It was warm and slightly salty from the few tears that had escaped down her cheeks. His hands went up her shirt as he continued kissing down her throat. "This is probably a really bad idea." He told her between kisses.

"I know." She said as she shifted on the couch, her leg going out and knocking over the now empty bottle of rum. "I don't care." She kissed him back.

"A…really…….bad idea." He kept saying but at the same time he couldn't make himself stop kissing her.

"I just don't want to be alone tonight." She told him quickly as she pulled his shirt off over his head and started to kiss him again. "And neither do you." She said in a soft drunken whisper.

"I don't want you to regret his tomorrow…"

"Don't worry…." She pulled him up as she led him to her bedroom.

**A/N** Oh wait? Was that another cliff hanger? Did I forget to mention who she is again. Bad Kelby! Bad Kelby! Oh well, you'll have to wait for the next chapter I guess! Sorry!

Love you guys!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N – Well I don't know what's going on but my scene change dividers keep disappearing. So if you were confused about the sudden switch in what was going on in the last chapter, it's because my markers to show a change to a new scene or the passage of time disappeared. Sorry about that.

Chapter 3

Roger felt the sun coming in and hitting him in the face, which was weird because that never happens any other day. Slowly he opened his eyes and realized why it never happens any other day. Usually he's at home when he wakes up. But today he's, he's, oh yeah. Last night. Hmmmm he thought to himself. Wonder how I get out of this one.

He sat up on the edge of the bed. He could hear voices in the other room. They were arguing. Probably better if he waited in here, instead of wandering out in the middle of it looking for the rest of his clothes. He found his boxers and jeans and pulled them on before sitting back down on the bed and listening to the argument.

"Well you need to take care of it!" She yelled at him.

"I said I will. But I'm busy today. Jesus give me a break. We've got plans."

"Oh I'm so sorry that our divorce is screwing with your social life. Especially since it was the screwing you did in your social life that caused our divorce!"

Good comeback Roger thought getting a small grin on his face. Yeah, definitely better he hid out in here for now.

"Look I told you I don't have time for this. We've got plans and she's waiting for me down in the car. I'll take care of it later. Just give me my mail. And stop being such a bitch. Just because you weren't woman enough to hold on to me is no reason to make this any more difficult."

Oh what a complete and total ass Roger thought to himself.

"I what? You ass!" She yelled at him. "I wasn't 'woman enough' to hold on to you? What in the hell is that supposed to mean? I wasn't fool enough to deal with your cheating, two timing, lying ass! You know what? Forget it. Take your mail and your lying, sorry, cheating ass back down to your car where your little whore is waiting!"

Ouch. Okay, that kind of hurt.

"Oh you are such a little bitch!"

Roger heard a few more things mumbled then the door slam shut. He waited a moment then stood up and slowly opened the bedroom door, stepping out into the living room. "Hey." He said softly.

"Hey." She tried to smile at him and hide the fact that she was brushing away tears.

"You okay?" He asked, sitting down on a barstool at the counter. " I sorta heard most of that."

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm used to him being a complete and total jackass. Listen, about what I said to him, I really didn't mean for you to hear that part. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. But I really would like to choke the living shit out of both of them." He shook his head in frustration. "Listen, about last night…"

"Don't worry about it. I'm a big girl. I don't do anything I don't mean to do. It's okay. Really. Besides it was really nice not being alone for a change. Even when we were still together, he was staying out so much, I was always alone and well, oh never mind. You wouldn't understand." She stepped over to where he was at the counter and set down her coffee cup.

"I wouldn't understand? Ah, when you were alone because dipshit was out, who do think he was out with? And where did that leave me? Other than home alone with Mark?" He cracked a small grin.

"Oh yeah, I forgot." She also got a small grin. "I'm sorry." She said, trying to stifle a laugh.

"Man are we a perfect pair." He told her starting to laugh. "A little pathetic. God I hate him. I would love to just get in one really good…" He clenched his jaw and shook his head in frustration as he trailed off.

Just then there was knocking at the front door. "Alison? Let me back in. I forgot my golf shoes." He yelled threw the door while knocking. "Come on I'm supposed to play this afternoon and I'm not in the mood for any more crap from you. I haven't even had any coffee this morning. Open the damn door."

Roger looked at her and grinned. "Please." He whispered. "Please let me get it."

She looked him over for a second. All he had on was jeans. His hair was a mess and his shirt was somewhere still in the living room. He'd know in an instant what had gone on last night. Somehow the thought of her no good bastard of a soon to be ex-husband knowing she had slept with Roger Davis last night made her smile. She shook her head but held up a finger for him to wait for a second. "Just a minute!" She yelled to the door as she went to the closet and got the golf shoes from the floor, handing them to Roger.

He started for the door, but stopped and picked up her coffee which he took a sip of and set down on the counter next to the door. In one quick motion he flung the door open. "Here's your shoes. You want anything else or can we finally go back to bed?" Roger growled at him.

"You? What are…? How?" Benny stammered, trying to find words. The shock evident on his face. "What the …? What were you…?" He kept looking Roger up and down, taking in the unbuttoned jeans and the messy hair. "With my…?"

Roger picked up the coffee off the counter and looked at Benny. "Here, since you haven't had any coffee yet, we thought we'd help you out." He got an evil little grin on his face as he dumped the full cup of coffee into Benny's golf shoes. "Have a great game and a lovely time at the club. Cheerio!" He said in a cheesy British accent as he slammed the door shut in Benny's face.

When Roger turned around and looked at Alison the two of them burst out laughing. "You know, I think I feel a lot better now!" He told her as he flopped onto her couch, pulling her down next to him.

"I can't believe you did that!" She laughed. "Those were an almost two hundred dollar pair of golf shoes!"

"Well he said he didn't have any coffee yet!" Roger laughed.

"You're right!" She burst out laughing all over again. "You know, I feel a whole lot better now too. The look on his face when he saw you standing there. I thought he was going to about fall over! It was a priceless moment. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Come on. Let's go to breakfast. Hey you want to really have some fun? Tomorrow we should do that whole thing again, except on Mark! Now that would be funny if he found you over at the loft half dressed! He probably would fall over." He laughed, cracking himself up.

"You're an evil and twisted man Roger Davis. However you certainly made me feel better."

"Yeah." He grinned. "Me too."

The End

A/N Well, not exactly thrilled with the very end. The whole thing didn't come out quite like I had hoped. Just couldn't tweak it into what I wanted. I was hoping for a little more depth, but I just couldn't find it. Oh well. Hope it was at least somewhat enjoyable. And kept you guessing. I was hoping for a little more suspense. But I thought it was a neat twist that hadn't been done before. Congrats to you if you guessed it was Alison early on. Congrats to me if you didn't!

Got a few new things in the works, so hopefully I'll be posting more often for awhile.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Kelby


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